In the Gravest Extreme Role of the Firearm by Massad F. Ayoob (1980, Paperback)

I rate this book average, only because it was written over 20 years ago and while much of the book is still relevant, the author uses far to much street language, to highlight his points. As a former police officer myself, I understand where Mr. Ayoob is comming from, but, I think both he and his teachings have gone to a much higher level now. The book is about defending your life by the use of a firearm. At the time of it's writting, revolvers were the standard for police and the freedom for private citizens to carry concealed firearms has surpassed anything anyone could have hoped for in the 1980's. Massad Ayoob is one of the most highly qualified to talk and teach the subject, but this book is out of date.

i'm new to the world of firearms. i purchased this book on the advice of an experienced friend. while an interesting read, most of the information is really just commmon sense...you must absolutely use ONLY in the very gravest, desperate extreme. i will say however i'm grateful for his spin on the legal aspects of using your weapon on someone. overall i'm glad i purchased, would recommend as a read, just don't expect too much.
mike

This book is a must for ANYONE who owns or is thinking about purchasing a firearm for home/personal defense. Ayoob is widely recognized as an expert firearms instructor for several government agencies and many of the larger city police departmenst in the U. S. In this book, which is rather small, Ayoob explores the WHEN and WHEN NOT TO USE ONES FIREARM. There are those who will think "I don't need to read this book, I can figure that out for myself." Those are usually the ones who end up shooting themselves or someone else on accident. I highly recommend this book and the many others written by Massad Ayoob as effective training tools for police and civilians alike. Owning a handgun, especially today. is a responsibility and should not be undertaken lightly. If you are not good with responsibility or have a chip on your shoulder, this book will offend you and rightly so.

If you carry a concealed firearm, this book gives you a lot to think about. Ayoob is a master, an easy quick read without over thinking complexity's.

Although this is a 26 tear old book, the techniques taught are still valid today. Mr. Ayoob teaches common sense ways to protect yourself that we all know but are not using due to the circumstance that May get you killed, this book corrects that frame of mind.

I recommend anyone with a firearm for self Defence to buy it and use its valuable Info.